Driving north on Interstate 15 near Hidden Valley Parkway, motorists can see an overhead structure that extends from the east side of the road to the I-15 median. The structure is a “conveyor belt,” a new tool that construction crews for the 15 Express Lanes are using to carry concrete safely and efficiently across the lanes.

Earlier this year, crews built a portable batch plant next to the project area to mix concrete. Crews also built the conveyor belt and recently began using it to carry loads of concrete from the batch plant, over the northbound lanes to waiting trucks, which then haul the concrete to the paving machine.

Transporting the concrete overhead to the I-15 median has several benefits for the project and area motorists:

Concrete-carrying trucks don’t have to cross paths with passenger vehicles on I-15.

Because the conveyor belt has tall sides, it prevents concrete from falling into travel lanes and affecting motorists.

Crews can load trucks faster between the conveyor belt and the paving machine, creating a more efficient operation.

The conveyor belt requires fewer trucks to supply the paving machine with concrete, reducing thousands of truck trips within the project area.

Paving is under way now in the I-15 median between 5th Street in Norco and Corona Avenue in Corona. Construction remains on schedule for the new lanes to open during the second half of 2020.